Lib Dem Euro MP welcomes proposals for closer links with Westminster

6.20.07pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th Apr 2005

Liberal Democrat MEP, Diana Wallis, has welcomed a recommendation made by the House of Commons Modernisation Committee of the establishment of a new Parliamentary European Committee (PEC).

This Committee, a natural successor to the Standing Committees on the Convention and on the IGC, would be comprised of Members of both Houses. The Committee has recommended that UK MEPs should be able to attend and speak in the PEC. Their status would be as guests of the UK Parliament.

Diana Wallis MEP who has long pressed for greater cooperation between MPs, Lords and MEPs, welcomed the step, saying:

'This must be good for democracy in that it allows Westminster to get an understanding of the likely direction of legislation coming from Brussels and, in tandem with MEPs, can affect some sort of changes. Too often at the moment, by the time MPs are aware of Brussels legislation, it is too late for them to do more than rubber stamp it.'

'This is a small step on a longer journey. In the long run I would like to see MEPs be able to speak on the floor of the House too.'

Notes:

It is proposed that new Parliamentary European Committee (PEC) should meet four times a year. Two of these meetings would be to consider the Foreign Secretary's bi-annual reports on developments in the EU. Other meetings might concentrate on specific EU policy areas or aspects of the Commission's work programme. Commissioners and UK Ministers would be invited to make statements and to answer questions for up to 90 minutes, and there would then be a further hour's debate.

The report referred to above, and the associated evidence, is available on the Commons Modernisation Committee's publications website: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmmodern.htm

The paragraphs on the PEC are here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmmodern/465/46505.htm#a18